Molecular Methodology for Ensuring Quality and Authenticity of Processed Meat Products

In order to respond to the demands for information from consumers, who more strongly demand to know data about the way in which their food was prepared, a research team from the Institute of Food Technology of INTA Castelar developed a molecular methodology to ensure the quality and authenticity of the raw materials of processed meat products.

“There is a growing demand for information on the food that is consumed with a greater awareness of its type and quality. Nowadays it is important and necessary to have a control tool and/or a method that allows for the reliable detection of types of fraud”, said Silvina Guidi, a researcher at the Institute of Food Technology (ITA) of INTA Castelar.

The objective is to identify the authenticity of raw materials and products processed with bovine, pork, poultry and horse meat, for which we proceeded to work with different species and fresh processed products. In this way, it contributes to the development of management and control mechanisms in the plant, by processing companies and refrigerators, to achieve 100% genuine meat foods.

Molecular methods involve the amplification and detection of the genetic material of the different species. This is possible because all living organisms contain genetic material in their cells in the form of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), which is unique to each animal species. This methodology makes it possible to detect and quantify the presence of different meat species (beef, porcine, horse and poultry), and vegetables (such as soybeans), in different food matrices”, explained Giudi.

The work made it possible to determine and standardize the conditions for detection and the minimum possible amount detectable (ng/Kg of meat).

“We can evaluate the presence of undeclared species, either due to contamination, incorporation and/or replacement, given that, due to the characteristics of the manufacturing processes, these types of products may be susceptible to adulteration,” the researcher concluded.

2023-08-24 14:19:28
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